Improvement in dies for the manufacture of sheet-metal number-plates



- T. RUE. l Dies for the Manufactured Sheet-Metal Number-Plates.

,103. 'Patented oct. 28,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THEoDoEE RUE, on PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DIES FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F SHEET-METAL NUMBER-PLATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,103, dated October28, 1879; application filed April 21,1879. v

To all whom trmay concern:

Be it known that l, THEoDoEE RUE, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Dies for the Manufacture ofSheet-Metal Number-Plates with Sunken Numbers, of which the following isa specification. p My invention relates to a die to be used in a-drop-press in the operation of striking up thin sheet-metal plates toform number-plates with sunken numbers, the object of my inventionbeing'to construct a die which, While capable of being eii'ectively usedin this manner, will be much cheaper than the engraved dies ordinarilyused for the purpose. This object I attain in the following manner,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa perspective view of an ordinary die-block for the manufacture of anumberplate with sunken numbers; Fig. 2, a perspective view of adie-block constructed according to my invention; Figs. 3 and 4,sectional views of the upper and lower die of a press,

illustrating the operation of the same ontheI sheet-metal plate, theupper die being shown by dotted lines; Fig. 5, a sectional view, andFig. 6 a perspective View, of a finished number-plate constructed inaccordance with my invention.

The great objection to the employment of engraved die-blocks, such asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is their expense, especially when usedfor the manufacture of a series of plates having different numbers. Anidea of this expense will be gained when it is understood that eachblock costs from two to three dollars, that there must be a separateblock for each number of a set, and that there must be a separate setfor each style of gure used.

I overcome this objection by constructing the die-block in the mannershown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4C of the drawings, in which A represents thebase of thev block, the upper face of which is recessed for thereception of a plate, B, which ts snugly in said recess, and is securedtherein by screws or otherwise, so that it can be readily detached whendesired.

The plate B has a central opening, the configuration of whichcorrespondswith tha-tde sired for the number-plate, the inner edges of the openingin the plate B overlapping the edges of a recess in the block A, towhich is adapted a plate, E; and to the face of the latter, in properpositions in respectto the open ing of the plate B, are secured thedesired numbers c, the latter being ordinary artic-les of commerce andcomparatively inexpensive.

The numbers c should be secured to the plate E so that they canv bereadily detached therefrom, the mode preferred being to solder thenumbersto the plate, so that upon the application of sufficient heat thesolder will melt and permit the numbers to be detached, the heat,however, not being sufficient to injure the number-or the plate.

The die-block is fitted to its place in the press, and when the desirednumber of sheetmetal plates have been struck up by the dropping of theupper die, which is constructed in the usual manner, the plate B may beremoved, and a plate having an opening of different configurationsubstituted therefor, and this may be repeated as often as desired; orthe plate E, carrying the numbers, may be removed from the block A, andanother plate, carrying numbers of a different character, substitutedtherefor, the numbers on the rst plate, E, being changed, it' desired,while the other plate is in use. pense attending the use of separateengraved plates is, to a great measure, overcome, and I am thus enabledto produce sets of metal numberplates with sunken numbers at much lessexpense than when such engraved plates are used.

As it leaves the press the sheet metal is in the form of a dished plate,on which the tigures are struck in, as shown in Fig. 5.

In order to impart the proper strength and rigidity to the plate, it isusual to provide the same with a filling or backing of lead, solder, orother soft metal, which, when first applied, is in a iuid state, butwhich rapidly hardens. I take advantage of this backing tosecure t0 theplate pins b b, by which it may be readily attached to a door or otherobject. The heads of these pins are inserted into the metal back- Bythis means the ex# and carrying the numbers a, with the plate B,arranged to overlap the edges of the plate E and cover the joint betweenthe same and the block A, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing` witnesses.

THEODORE RUE. Witnesses WrLLLuI J. COOPER, I-IARRY SMITH.

